Grace H. Morwood

Grace Harriet Morwood, 87, formerly of Forest River, ND died October 27, 2009 at Bethany Home, 201 South University Drive, Fargo, N.D. where she has lived since January 2009. Grace Harriet Finley was born November 8, 1921, the daughter of Harry and Grace E. (Bratly) Finley and the granddaughter of Scotch, Irish and Norwegian homesteaders. She grew up on the Ops Township farm west of Forest River, attended a one room school, Ops No.8, enjoyed 4-H and music activities, graduated Forest River High School and attended Mayville State Teachers College for one year. Grace was united in marriage to Lloyd H. Morwood in the Methodist Church in Forest River on October 20, 1940. Together they farmed, raised a family, enjoyed good friends, traveled, and made many new friends through the American Crystal Sugar beet growers involvement until Lloyd's death in 2000. Grace continued to live in the Forest River home they built for retirement until poor health forced a move to Fargo in 2006 to be closer to her daughters. Grace was always active in the Forest River community, a member of the Forest River Community Church and Women's Organizations, a member and Past Matron of the Order of Eastern Star, belonged to Birthday Club, Golden Rod Homemakers Club and the Forest River Study Club where she was particularly proud of the community beautification projects they sponsored that improved park areas on the river and in downtown Forest River and created a shelterbelt of trees around the town. She taught Sunday school, served as 4-H Club Leader, PTA President, played piano for Lloyd's solos, loved to cook and to feed people in her home and arrange flowers from the garden for friends and church. An accomplished artist and an avid reader, her personal interests were sewing for herself and her daughters, participating in bible studies, painting in oils and with water colors. As a china painter, she took painting classes near their Arizona home in the winters and in Grafton as a member of the North Dakota China Painters Guild until poor health forced her to stop in 2005. Grace leaves a legacy of many beautiful things for her family to enjoy. Grace is survived by her daughters, Connie (Wayne) Pastir, Fergus Falls, MN and Mary Carol Devig, Fargo, ND; She was Nana to five grandchildren, Kari (Andy) Pastir-Smith, Orono, MN, Russell (Kim) Pastir, Grand Forks, Matt (Dawn) Devig, Moorhead, MN, Brad (Stacy) Devig, Fargo, ND, Becky (Josh)Trumbo, Fargo, ND; 10 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; and sisters-in-law, Hope Morwood Bakken, Woodburn, OR, and Norma Morwood Ellertson, Long Beach, CA. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. FUNERAL SERVICES: 11:00 a.m. Monday, November 2, 2009, at the Forest River Community Church in Forest River, ND. VISITATION: 4:00-6:00 p.m. with a 5:00 p.m. prayer service on Sunday, November 1, 2009, at Amundson Funeral Home 2975 S. 42nd St. Grand Forks, ND. Visitation will continue for the hour prior to the funeral at Forest River. INTERMENT: Forest River Cemetery, Forest River, ND.